Friction grip wrench



Feb. 3, 1925. -1,525,358

G. W. BERGEN WITNESSES /4 I INVENTOR 6M v 7 BY 60R0W5R0N I jTTQRNEYsPatented Feb. 3, 1 925.

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GEORGE WASHINGTON BERGEN, OF BELMAR, NEW JERSEY.

FRICTION GRIP WRENCH.

Application filed November 30, 1923. Serial No. 677,775.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. BERGEN,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Belmar, in the countyof Monmouth 5 and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and ImprovedFriction Grip Wrench, of which the'following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention has relation to wrenches and has particular reference toa friction grip wrench which is particularly designed as a tool forfacilitating the removal of headlight rims.

For one of its principal objects the invention contemplates a wrench ofthe character set forth which is readily adjustable to cooperate withheadlight rims of various sizes.

The invention further contemplates a wrench provided with a manipulatinghandle for eflecting the contraction of the flexible embracing elementabout the rim or other article to be turned, which handle is providedwith an arcuate arm for indirect engagement with the rim or article tobe turned whereby to arrest the swinging movement of the handle afterthe desired contraction of the embracing element has been obtained.

Furthermore the invention contemplates an arm carried by themanipulating handle, the arc of which is adjustable to coincide with theperiphery of the rim or other article with which the wrench is engaged.

As a still further object the invention contemplates a friction gripwrench of the character set forth which is so constructed as to preventscratching or marring of the finish of the article with which it isengaged.

As a still further object the invention contemplates a friction gripwrench which is comparatively simple in its construction and mode ofoperation, which is inexpensive to manufacture and which is highlyefiicient in its purpose.

With the above recited and other objects in View, the invention residesin the novel construction set forth in the following specification,particularly pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, it being understood that the right is reserved toembodiments other than those actually illustrated herein to the fullextent indicated by the general meaning of the terms in which the claimsare expressed.

In the drawings-- Figure 1 is a side View of a wrench constructed inaccordance with the invention and illustrating the initial applicationof the wrench on a headlight rim.

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the final gripping position of thewrench.

Fig. 3 is an edge view of the wrench in the position illustrated in Fig.2.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating a modified adaptation ofthe invention.

Referring to the drawingsdoy characters of reference, the wrenchcomprises a handle or lever having a laterally projecting arouate arm 11at one end which is formed with a reversely curved toothed surface 12 atthe juncture of the arm with the handle or lever. The handle or lever 10adjacent its juncture with the arm is further provided with a bearinglug 13 through a bear ing opening 14 of which one leg 15 of asubstantially U-shaped link 16 extends. The remaining leg 17 of the linkhas mounted thereon the looped terminal 18 of a flexible embracingmember 19. A retaining strip or plate 20 is mounted over the free endsof the legs 15 and 17 and is secured in place by the washers and pins 21and 22. The flexible embracing member 19 which preferably consists of afabric strap is lined on its inner face for the major portion of itslength with a strip of soft yieldable material 23.

In use and operation of the wrench the free end of the flexibleembracing element 19 is inserted through the link to produce a loop inthe element 19 with the yieldable lining 23 on the inner side of theloop. The loop thus formed is then arranged in embracing relation aroundthe headlight rim A or other article to be turned by the wrench and theloop is contracted by exerting a pull on the free end of the flexibleelement 19 as illustrated in Fig. 1. The toothed reversely curvedportion 12 at the juncture of the handle and arm 10 and 11 is thenengaged with the outer surface of the looped flexible element and byswinging the handle 10 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1a further contraction and frictional gripping of the looped portion ofthe element 19 will be efiected until the arcuate arm 11 finally engageswith the loop and indirectly with the periphery of the rim A whicharrests further swinging movement of the handle 10. Further'pressureexerted on the handle 10 will thus effeet a relative turning andunscrewing of the rim A with respect to the body of the headlight B. Itwill be noted that the yieldable lining material 23 prevents marring orscratching of the finish of the rim, while the device efiectually servesto remove the rim A from the body B.

In the modified form or adaptation of the invention illustrated in Fig.4 the handle or lever 25 has secured to one end a laterally projectingcurved or arcuate arm 26. which is resilient and flexible to a suitabledegree and the handle or lever is provided with a reversely curvedtoothed portion 27. A flexible embracing element 28 is carried by a link29 which is pivotally mounted'in the bearingear 30 adjacent the toothedend of the handle or lever. The handle adjacent the toothed end isfurther provided with a rigid arm 81 which pivotally carries as at 32 atits free end an element 33 having ofl'set terminals 34. In practice theofi'set terminals 34 are designed to engage at longitudinally spacedpoints the flexible' and resilient arm 26 to cause'the same to coincidewith the arc of the periphery of the headlight rim A whereby the arm 26will coincide with the periphery of rims of various diameters. Thegeneral operation of the device illustrated in Fig. 4 is similar to thatof the first form illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive.

I claim:

1. A friction grip wrench including a flexible element adapted to bearranged in looped form for embracing the article to be turned, a handlehaving linked connection with one end of said element and formed with agripping face engageable with the opposite free end of the flexibleelement for contracting the looped portion about the article uponswinging of said handle in one-direction, said means being adaptable tothe curvature of the periphery or" the loop.

2. A friction grip wrench including a flexible element adapted to bearranged in looped form for embracing the article to be turned, a handlehaving linked connection with one end- 01 said element and formed with agripping race engageable with the opposite free end of the flexibleelement for contracting the looped portion about the article uponswinging of said handle in onedirection, said means comprising anormally curred resilient arm'carried by the handle, and a memberpivotally carried by the handle having 'ottsets thereon spacedlongitudinally of and contacting with the arm for flexing the same tocause it to coincide with the curvature of the periphery of the loop.

A friction grip wrench including a handle having a laterally curvedtoothed end and an arcuate terminal at said end, alink pivoted to thehandle adjacent said end, and a flexible work embracing member connectedat one end to the link and having its free end trained through said linkto produce an embracing loop for encircling the articles to be turned,the said toothed end adapted for engagement with the flexible embracingelement for contracting the looped portion upon swinging of the handlein one direction, and the said curved terminal constituting means forarresting the swinging movement the handle upon engagement with thelooped portion when engaged with the article to be turned.

GEORGE WASHlllGTfill BERGEN.

